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Show "CYBER HEIST" STEALS NATIONAL TITLE AT GAME COMPETITION BymARyRoyAL/sTAF.TE, PHOTO COURTESY OF JAKE MUEHLE T he U has claimed national honors yet again — this time for video games. A group of U students traveled to Orlando, Fla. to take part in an annual competition called the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge. Eighteen games were selected as finalists. "Cyber Heist' the video game created by U students, came out on top for the student category. The team was composed of 13 graduate students: nine engineers, one artist and three producers. Jake Muehle, the lead designer of "Cyber Heist': said the goal of their game is to eliminate student debt, something he thinks is relatable for many college students. It is set in the future, and two players can work together. "Players have to learn to communicate and cooperate to make their way through each level," Muehle said. "[They] frequently find themselves improvising ways out of difficult and stressful situations." As part of the entertainment arts and engineering graduate program, students began working on the prototype of "Cyber Heist" in January 2013 and published the game to Desura.com in April 2014. In November of this year, "Cyber Heist" was put on Steam Greenlight to drum up additional support. Vincent Horiuchi, spokesperson for the U's College of Engineering, said the video game team focused on effective collaboration in creating "Cyber Heist': which aided in their success. In addition to the 2014 Best Student Game Award from the Serious Games Showcase & Challenge, the team was awarded four copies of Autodesk Creative Suite, design software valued at $30,000 in total. The 3D modeling program included in the package will help the team create additional content for the game. Muehle said "Cyber Heist" is important, apart from the awards, because it fostered collaboration between the team members, and he hopes it will do the same for those who play the game. "Bringing additional recognition to the U's nationally-ranked EAE program is something that each member of our team is proud to do:' he said. m.royal@chronicle.utah.edu @mary_royal SPEEDING UP COMMUNITY SERVICE BY MARY ROYAL /STAFF WRITER PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLY ROACH BY CYNTHIA LUU /STAFF WRITER PHOTO BY KIFFER CREVELING A long with saying goodbye to classmates, the end of the semester also means getting rid of textbooks. One option students have to get money back for their course materials is the Campus Store's buyback period, from Dec. 12 to 20. Melanie Hortin, a junior in elementary education, has done this in previous semesters and was surprised by the amount she got in return. "It was easier than I thought:' she said. "I brought in three books and was able to sell two of them for $150, which was way more than I thought I would get back." Paige Westenskow, a student supervisor in the textbook section of the Campus Store, said students can bring in their textbooks to the designated buyback counter, where they will be scanned and inspected. If the books are deemed "readable," the individual will receive a cash amount. Westenskow said readability depends on whether or not the book was damaged and if covers are left intact. Hailey Draxler, a junior in psychology and sociology, said she once paid $200 for a book and got just $3 during buyback. "It's one of the easiest ways [to return textbooks], but not necessarily the best': she said. Representatives from the Campus Store could not give figures as to how many students sold to the bookstore or the sales made in previous years. The only direct amount the U can guarantee for a buyback is up to 50 percent. Titles that are guaranteed this price are listed on the bookstore's website. If an instructor has notified the Campus Store that a specific textbook will be reused, students will usually receive a higher return for those books until quantities are met. The cash amount a student receives for a book also depends on who purchases it, which could be the U or a wholesaler. An alternative to selling in person is selling to an online retailer, such as Amazon or Chegg. Karriann Johnson, a sophomore in gender studies and sociology, said students should explore more of these kinds of options. "There are plenty of other alternatives to buy and sell textbooks," Johnson said. "A lot of people — younger undergrads in particular — don't know that, but it might save them a lot of money down the line:' Katie Guido, a sophomore in biomedical engineering, said she tends to keep her books but is planning to sell her math textbook to someone on campus. "It's a special edition to the U, and I don't think I'll have a hard time finding someone who needs it for next semester," she said. Guido has never sold to the bookstore but feels other selling alternatives are more effective. "I feel like you'd get a decent amount from Amazon': she said, "rather than the bookstore because you can do your own listing price:' c.luu@chronicle.utah.edu @cynthia luu INTERNS AND DJs WANTED! Gain Experience Meet New People Speak Your Mind apply online today @ kuteradio.org SEARCH FOR KUTE ON THE MOBILE APP tunein III RADIO •■■•• FREEB!RDS WORLD BURRITO' 446 PREPARE *FOR THIS . I he Bennion Center is combining speed dating and community service into one event today. The event will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. in the Bennion Center. The Community Engaged Learning speed dating is an event hosted by the Bennion Center twice a semester with the help of academic departments of the U as well as community partners throughout the greater Salt Lake community. The event attempts to combine service with academic interests where students can find a fit for themselves within the Community Engaged Scholars program. Scheduling for it typically takes place earlier in the semester to allow the community partners time to plan attendance. Over 100 courses are dedicated to Community Engaged Learning at the U. Some of these courses are comprised entirely of community-engaged learning scholars while other courses have an added section with a community-engaged learning focus. Faculty for the speed dating event are not all employed at the U. They are also men and women who are highly involved in community efforts. Professors involved work on integrating community learning into the curriculum and take students out into the community to take part in works of service. Chris Jensen, the Community Engaged Learning coordinator for the Bennion Center, said the event is an important part of the service programs at the U. "There are over 3,000 students at the U who are involved in some sort of community-based service learning," Jensen said. "An event like this can help pair students with mentors who share their interests and provide them a way to get more involved in the community. Regardless of what a student is majoring in, there is a fit for them." Due to the short time allowed for this event and the amount of people who will be on-hand for the students to talk to, the Bennion Center has taken a speed-dating approach to make sure each student has a chance to maximize their opportunities for meeting and talking to the community partners and faculty. "Really, the speed dating concept was adapted to be more efficient for the students," Jensen said. "The students begin the event by pairing up with a community partner and talking with them. The Bennion Center staff on-hand have timers. When the timer dings, the student moves to the next community partner. It creates a fun atmosphere that is also really productive." CAMPUS STORE: BOOKS OR CROOKS? Ying Tan, a sophomore in sociology and marketing, said the event sounds like a good time. "I've never participated in anything like that before, but it sounds like a great way to get more involved," Tan said. "Sometimes I think students want to get involved, but they don't know exactly who to talk to or where to turn. Having a group of people who can help you find your path to being more community-engaged sounds like something more students should get involved in." m.royal@chronicle.utah.edu @mary_royal 4 { THECHRONY I NEWS I OPINION I ARTS I SPORTS I THURSDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2014 } We only use all-natural, fresh ingredients in our burritos, nachos, salads, quesadillas, bowls and tacos - made in our kitchen, daily. Fresh. Honest. Good. VISIT US IN SUGAR HOUSE 2120 S 1300 E SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84106 LOCATIONS IN KIMBALL JUNCTION TAYLORSVILLE SANDY WEST VALLEY CITY FRELuIRDS.Cum |